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Monday, 28 July 2014

Eid-ul-Fitr 2014/1435 - Eid Mubarak

Eid Mubarak everyone. Taqabbal Allahu Minna Wa Minkum (May Allah accept it from you and us).This Eid is tainted with sadness at events around the world - Syria, Burma, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq and most recently Palestine. The latter especially has brought together Muslims in protest, prayer and charity work throughout Ramadan.

"The Believers, in their mutual love, mercy and compassion, are like one body: if one organ complained, the rest of the body develops a fever." ~Bukhari & Muslim

We are unable just forget what is happening in the world and enjoy our Eid as if the events in Gaza are not a painful slap in the face for this ummah. The images that have passed in front of our eyes and the stories that we have heard of our brothers and sisters suffering do not leave us.

Alongside this my sister-in-law has been severely ill and we fully expected her to die, although she is recovering alhamdulillah. A second cousin of mine (who I have not met) who was a good friend of my brother-in-laws died in a horrific accident in Lahore. My dad-in-law and brothers-in-laws spent the last few days of Ramadan in hospital helping his parents to take care of him and have been quite traumatised by his death and are still dealing with what has happened with my mum-in-law upset herself and trying to counsel them over the phone from here.

Yet Allah (SWT) has permitted us to enjoy the two feast days:

“Anas ibn Malik reported that in the pre-Islamic period people (in Madinah) people used to celebrate two annual days of festivity. When Prophet (PBUH) came to Madinah he said, “you used to have two days of celebration, Allah (SWT) has replaced them with two better days: the day of Fitr and the day of Adha.” (Nisai’, Sunan al-Kubra’, 1, 542; Sunan al-Sughra 3:199).

The Prophet (sallallaahu alaihi wasallam) said: "The days of (Eid) are days of eating and drinking and of remembering God, the Exalted." ~ Fiqh-us-Sunnah, Volume 2, Number 153

So I will share the day with my family, break bread with them and continue to make dua for my brothers and sisters suffering around the globe.

There are some things I want to do differently - I have asked everyone in my extended family to avoid being extravagant with gifts and spend less, especially as the family has grown so much mash'Allah. I have asked them to spend time with my children where possible or give them something practical rather than expensive toys.I decided not to buy myself new clothes, all of us are wearing something that has been gifted to us previously.I am going to cook, but keep the food simpler. Hubby has often said that he would prefer fewer dishes that tasted amazing, rather than lots of food that took too much work to prepare.I have been trying to move away from commercialism and constantly buying more things as I feel that this is a sickness in the Western world and inconsistent with Islam which values simplicity, frugality and avoiding wastefulness, especially now when one form of activism that Muslims have been considering is boycotting businesses that support what is happening in Gaza (1, 2 and 3). I think this Eid is a good time to keep working on simplifying our lives.So I pray that this Eid is a blessed one for all of my brothers and sisters, full of peace, happiness and Allah's (SWT) mercy and those of my brothers and sisters that are suffering, Allah (SWT) eases their suffering, brings them to safety, brings tranquillity into their hearts and showers his favours and mercy on them.

Eid Mubarak to you too. If you just come out and tell people to be simple and spend less sometimes they just think you're being a party pooper, or tight. Plus as a woman, it's nice to get nice things from people, especially if you don't celebrate birthdays, anniversary's etc. So in happier times, I wouldn't begrudge a nice, expensive present...

Muslim Child

About me

My passions include writing, books, bargain-hunting, dawah, crafts (cards, banners and jewellery), art, travel with my children, henna, being organised and the English countryside. You can contact me at umm_salihah@yahoo.co.uk